Social Transformation: Neither Easy Nor Impossible

Anna Hazare—keeper of the earth and of human conscience
The situation of the village Ralegaon was at the peak of its deterioration. Poverty, illiteracy, degradation of natural resources, theft, corruption, alcoholism, infights, lawlessness and many other vices were common. A young subedar from the army had returned to his village with a resolve to do something for his people. His name was Anna Hazare. He was shocked to see all this. He started with the renovation of a temple, for which he spent all his money, snapped his ties with the family, decided not to marry, and started living in the temple.
Initially nobody extended a helping hand but his sincerity influenced young and old alike. He always stressed on consensus decision in village assembly, based on which he started with watershed management as the shortage of water was the most acute problem in his village. Five voluntary codes were decided. They were: ban on open grazing, ban on felling of trees, control on population growth (family planning), ending of dowry and abolition of alcoholism. Structures were created to conserve every drop of water by using simple but effective technology through ‘shramdan’ (voluntary labor).
Five hundred thousand trees have been planted since he started. Ground water is being recharged. Irrigation potential has increased from 0.5 % in 1975 to 70 % in 1985. Agriculture production has increased by four times. There is enough food, fodder, fruit, firewood etc. in the village, not only for villagers’ consumption but for export also.
Now there is an intermediate college, post office, bank, cooperative societies, solar street lights, low-cost latrines, bio-gas plants and training centre for watershed management in the village.
-Courtesy: www.fao.org

Wangari Maathai
Africa’s “tree woman” founded the green belt movement in Kenya in 1977. Wangari's road to success was by no means easy. During the 1970s and 1980s, she came under increasing scrutiny from the government of Daniel Arap Moi. She was frequently the target of vilification from the government, as well as subject to outright attacks and imprisonment.
Notwithstanding all these attacks, the movement has since planted more than 10m trees to prevent soil erosion and provide firewood for cooking fires. Most have been planted by poor women in the villages of Kenya, restoring their environment and providing paid work.